BRIDGEPORT, Conn. (May 4, 2018) – Despite home runs from junior Joseph Sadallah (Staten Island, N.Y./Tottenville) and freshman Zak Kain (Dingmans Ferry, Pa./Delaware Valley), the Mercy College baseball team dropped 9-2 and 8-6 decisions to ECC foe University of Bridgeport on Friday afternoon.

The Mavericks (20-28, 9-14 ECC) have dropped four games in a row and are eliminated for ECC Tournament contention, while the Purple Knights (14-31, 11-12 ECC) secure the final spot in the tournament with the sweep.

Game 1: Bridgeport 9, Mercy 2

The hosts jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first inning with two runs on two hits and three errors. The first run scored on an error by the center fielder and Ben Torres doubled home the second run.

Mercy got a run back in the third inning when sophomore John Mooradian (Marlboro, N.Y./Marlboro) scored on a wild pitch after reaching on a single earlier in the inning.

Bridgeport responded with two runs in both the fourth and fifth innings to build a 6-1 lead. Mercy scored their final run in the sixth inning when junior Nicolas Hagerty (New York, N.Y./Westchester CC) recorded an RBI single to center field that scored junior Adonis Garcia (Bronx, N.Y./Monroe College) who led off the inning with a double.

The Purple Knights scored three more runs in the seventh inning to take a 9-2 lead and the Mavericks would not be able to score again.

Hagerty went 1-for-3 with an RBI and senior Shaine Carpenter (Florham Park, N.J./Saint Anselm College) went 1-for-2. Freshman Noah Krzyzak (Pine Bush, N.Y./Pine Bush) made the start on the mound and went 4.2 innings with five earned runs allowed to take the loss. Sophomore Matteo Finocchi (Staatsburg, N.Y./FDR) pitched 1.2 scoreless innings of relief.

Alex Rauso led Bridgeport with a 1-for-4 game with a home run and two RBI. Anthony Martino pitched 5.0 innings with two runs allowed to pick up the win.

Game 2: Bridgeport 8, Mercy 6

Bridgeport got off to a 3-0 lead with a run in the first and two runs in the second. The Mavericks tied the game up at 3-3 in the third when Sadallah hit a three-run inside-the-park home run to center field.

The Purple Knights responded with a run in the bottom of the third to retake the lead at 4-3. Mercy quickly retook the lead with three runs in the fourth inning to build a 6-4 lead. Hagerty recorded another RBI single to center field and Kain hit a two-run home run to left field that gave Mercy the lead.

Bridgeport came back with two runs in the fifth and sixth innings to build an 8-6 lead and the Mavericks could not score again after the fourth inning.

Sadallah went 1-for-3 with three RBI and Kain went 2-for-3 with two RBI. Hagerty went 1-for-3 with an RBI and Garcia went 1-for-2. Freshman Jack Kelly (Scranton, Pa./Scranton) went 5.1 innings with five earned runs allowed to take the loss.

Bridgeport was led by Tom Rinaldi who went 1-for-2 with three RBI and Jonathan Brooks earned the win with three scoreless innings of relief.

Head Coach Chris Schoen and the Mavericks conclude their season on Sunday, May 6th when they host Bridgeport for Senior Day at 12 p.m.